


The Hazbin Showman

by Frostbite177



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series), Helluva Boss (Web Series), The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/F, F/M, Hope, Inspired by Music, M/M, Past Abuse, Redemption, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:20:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26006341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostbite177/pseuds/Frostbite177
Summary: During the 1800s period in Hell, demons tried to live through the wretched afterlife they were given after messing up big time when being alive. Turns out their shitty existence in the Upper World was just as bad as the one down below, aside from the constant reminder that the new hardships mean life or death everyday and that obtaining some form of happiness was nill to none. Charlotte Magne, Princess of Hell, decides she is not happy with the lack of joy within her realm and strives to do something about it, hence, making her own circus of a mess. Along with help of her beloved wife Vaggie and an odd troupe of misfits that even Hell had rejected, Charlie sets out to prove her father wrong and show that she can give demons the joy they have lost so long ago.Inspired by one of my favorite movies and web series (now coming to TV), The Hazbin Showman is my first fanfic that I have decided to publish. I hope everyone enjoys this!(A lot of the chapters are based on the soundtrack of the movie to I'll make sure to put the song you need to listen when needed. It will be edited based on the movie's edited versions of the songs, so feel free to watch the movie along with reading this if you want as well!)
Relationships: Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Arackniss/Sir Pentious (Hazbin Hotel), Blitzo/Stolas (Helluva Boss), Charlie Magne/Vaggie, Lilith Magne/Lucifer Magne, Millie/Moxxie (Helluva Boss), former Charlie Magne/Octavia, other developed relationships later
Comments: 7
Kudos: 63





	1. Prologue: This Is The Greatest Show

_(Listen to The Greatest Show movie scene)_

_Wwwoooaaahhh!_

**_Stomp!_ **

**_S_** _**tomp,** _ **_stomp!_ **

_Wwwoooaaahhh!_

**_Stomp!_ **

**_Stomp, stomp!_ **

_Wwwoooaaahhh!_

**_Stomp!_ **

_S **tomp,**_ **_stomp!_ **

_Wwwoooaaahhh!_

**_Stomp!_ **

**_Stomp, stomp!_ **

_Wwwoooaaahhh!_

The fanfare abruptly stopped as soon as it began. Quietness fell upon the once loud setting, but their was something in the air that made it seem like something was still alive and just waiting to be recognized. Lights began to slowly light up the area inside of the massive tent, the audience still in dark shadows under the sepia tone. But despite the sudden halt in their chants, the air still tingled with excitement, and this excitement was only building again to burst out by the awaiting crowd in unison. Under the many bleachers that the crowd kept stomping through, a figure stood beneath them, her stance frozen in position. As if waiting for the shouts or the stomping to unfreeze her.

**_Stomp!_ **

**_Stomp, stomp!_ **

She turned to her left in a swift motion, her head quickly lowered while still maintaining balance of her top hat.

_Wwwoooaaahhh!_

_**S** **t**_ _**o** _ **_mp!_ **

**_Stomp, stomp!_ **

She then jutted her hips to the right, her now holding her cane in direction of her arm as it pointed to the ground. The tip of it gave a bright sparkle as it hit the light perfectly.

_Wwwoooaaahhh!_

**_Stomp!_ **

Silence again. Under the darkened bleachers, the stomping has caused dust to rise up and created clouds of red, swirling like miniature dust storms under the figure's feet. But it not seem to deter her, or even rise any attention to it. Her shoes, high heeled black boots glistened much like her cane tip despite the dirt and lack of good lightening. She gave a large hyena-like grin under her hat, her large canines out for all to see. 

_“Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for…”_

_Wwwoooaaahhh!_

**_Stomp!_ **

She turned to her head to the left again, her body still fully poised, her cane now firmly planted to the ground. The sepia light that once illuminated her dark shadow now showed the delicious red color of her coat. It was a very lavish piece of material, the red bright a sharp contrast against the already read setting, golden buttons and stitching embroidered by delicate hands glistening as she gripped her cane to the ground. Her posture was still tall and straight like a rod.

_“Been searching_ _in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor…”_

_Wwwoooaaahhh!_

**_Stomp!_ **

She lowered her head down as one hand traced the rim of her top hat. The faux cloth hard felt hard yet soft under her fingers as it glided through the brim easily. That dressmaker was really as good as they have claimed. She slowly lowered her hand from her hat to trace the outline of her coat before resting it on the top of her other hand that gripped onto the cane. A jeweled apple that poked through her fingers glistened brightly despite the light.

_“And buried_ _in your bones_ _there's an ache that you can't ignore.”_ She began to toss the cane up, her movements graceful as she caught the cane with ease.

_“Taking your breath…stealing_ _your mind. And all that was real is left behind.”_

She began walking underneath bleacher to bleacher alongside the long aisles in long strides, her giving a secret smile as the crowd tried to catch a glimpse of her underneath their feet without getting up from their coveted spot. But those that caught even the mere glimpse of her watched anxiously as she reappeared finally from the large seats and began marching up to center stage. More lights suddenly began to turn on when she began to wave her cane in every direction. She always knew that Victorian viper had a way with electricity and the machines that produced it, and it definitely showed.

_“Don't fight_ _it, it's coming for you, running_ _at ya! It's only this moment, don't care what comes_ _after! Your fever_ _dream, can't you see it getting_ _closer. Just surrender_ _'cause you feel the feeling taking over!”_

She picked up her pace, her own footsteps soon becoming accompanied by other sounds of marching, like a general leading his troops to battle. Roaring and other animalistic sounds began to ring out, commotion of other voices making noises and commands to control the beasts now joining in on the building volume. Ahead of her, the figure caught sight of a small group that was waiting for her, their stances a bit more eager than hers as their bodies brimmed with energy ready to unleash. The figure picked up her pace a tad more, her own energy that was nce pushed back now coming through her as small sparks began emitting around her, like stones clinking together to make fire. She couldn’t control herself either, her teeth now becoming a bit sharper as her eyes were turning as red as her coat. Her head began to tingle, no doubt the horns coming out to play too.

_“It's fire, it's freedom, it's flooding_ _open. It's a preacher_ _in the pulpit and you'll find devotion. There's something breaking_ _at the_ _brick_ _of every wall it's holding_ _all that you knoooww-”_

The Ringmaster turned around and raised her arms up wide.

**_“-so tell me do you wanna_ ** **_go?!”_ **

Small explosions began to ring out, the crowd now going wild as acrobats began to come out in flips above their heads. The ringmaster grinned widely as her demon form was fully out for all to see, only adding to the enthusiasm of the show that was taking action. To her side, a familiar cyclopes-looking woman jumped out from the group of performers and blew fire from her baton. The Ringmaster dodged the fire as she contorted her body away from the knives that were being thrown at a spinning target on a nearby rotating vertical table. Figures of all different shapes, sizes and colors danced around her in fervor, looking like a rainbow under the fire. It shown brightly amongst the red of their setting, igniting a bright spectrum of yellows and oranges. The group began to sing with their leader, the crowd joining in as they let out their enthusiasm full force now.

_“Where it's covered_ _in all the colored_ _lights! Where the runaways are running_ _the night! Impossible comes_ _true, it's taking_ _over you!”_

To her left, a four-legged creature jumped onto a makeshift wooden seesaw, another similar creature a bit taller than her was waiting on the other end, his stance crouched low. The female spider demon squealed with glee as she jumped on the board, catapulting her brother up to the awaiting metal ring of the trapeze as he grabbed it with ease.

_“Oh, this is the greatest_ _show!”_

As the acrobat began to twirl on the ring to begin his own routine with the other trapeze artists, everyone else began to pair off and began dancing behind their ringmaster in spinning circles. While they grabbed onto their partners and did their makeshift waltz, the ringmaster aimed her cane at the crowd like a makeshift microphone, the crowd singing along to her.

Al would get a kick out of this.

_“We light_ _it up, we won't come down! And the sun can't stop us now! Watching it come true, it's taking_ _over you. Oh, this is the greatest show!”_

The Ringmaster pulled her cane away as she walked backwards to the center of the ring again, the other demons now dancing around her in an array of tails, horns, and pretty costumes. Explosions still went off, but it did little to drown the singing of the troupe. The Ringmaster still sang her heart out as the graceful figures danced around her.

_“It's everything_ _you ever want. It's everything_ _you ever need. And it's here right_ _in front_ _of you. This is where you wanna be. It’s everything you ever want. It's everything_ _you ever need. And it's here right in front_ _of you. This is where_ _you wanna_ _be!”_

And suddenly, the tone began to change. The lights suddenly began strobing, much like the flickering of an old bulb ready to die out despite still continuing to glow. The singing seemed to crescendo before suddenly dying off, them growing a little quieter each passing minute. The Ringmaster started to notice as her yellow eyes scanned the area, the once full place now looking empty as the crowd began to fade away like a mirage. The world seemed to begin to spin slower now, as if reality was intruding on a fantasy.

Like someone waking up from a dream.

The lights for some reason were now starting to dim, it catching attention of the Ringmaster more than the quieting of the crowd, their loud laughter now echoing eerily as it faded away into the quietness of before. Her voice began to lose its tempo, it faltering to normal volume, all confidence and power diminishing.

_“It's everything_ _you ever want. It's everything_ _you ever need. And it's here right_ _in front_ _of you. This is where_ _you wanna_ _be_.”

It was still getting quieter. The girl turned her head behind her slightly, only to see her troupe gone, as if they never have been there. She darted back up at the bleachers, only noting that they too were empty. Her voice was continuing to lower, her ears the only things hearing it now instead of a loud rambunctious crowd and enthusiastic troupe. 

_“It's everything_ _you ever want…It's everything_ _you ever need…”_

Silence. Now she was for sure that the only one left was her, bright eyes now looking into nothingness. The excitement seemed to die right alongside her environment, a lone spotlight now aiming at her as she looked around again.

_“And it's here right_ _in front_ _of you…”_

The Ringmaster felt almost confused but looked down as her once confident posture faltered. A small fire emitted around her, only to slowly go over her, a stark difference from the bright flame she had done before. Her features changed back to what they were originally, her yellow irises that burned with so much energy now a desolate black. Horns came back into place as they vanished into her head and her teeth lost their edge, both figuratively and literally. Her shoulders slumped over as she allowed her hand to grip loosely to her cane. The jeweled apple did not seem to gleam as much anymore.

_“This is where_ _you…wanna_ _be…”_

And the lights finally turned off, the once bright environment once again enveloped in complete darkness.


	2. Chapter 1: A Million Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A million dreams for the world we're gonna make...

It was spectacular day in Hell, or rather, better than what it has been. The fire and brimstone were a degree cooler and the turf wars have become scarce for the time being. It was a rarity when Hell was usually so, _peaceful,_ and when it was, every demon, creature, imp, you name it, tried their best to take advantage of it. Especially when peace was not something that came in abundance in the Underworld.

But it was not much different from when they were alive to be honest.

The citizens of Hell have been keeping to themselves, or rather, been ignoring each other as the Industrial Revolution has taken affect over the span of all the Nine Circles, the souls that departed from that time period are now trying to further their advancement to make the afterlife comfortable to their benefit and subconsciously for everyone else. It was good to keep busy.

At a random dress shop on the ritzier part of the Fourth Circle, a little moth demon looked at the window display of the fancy outfits. She kept looking at her reflection on the surpassingly clean glass, her squinting hard to distort her image so only her body would fade behind the showcase of pretty dresses. As if seeing what she would look like in the gowns without trying them on. A luxury she would never be granted. She subconsciously tugged at her own raggedy dress, the color long has been faded and fraying at the seams, tears that she hadn’t noticed before now being felt by her fingers.

The dress by the window was a pretty shade of light grey and had off white ruffles, all held together by light denim blue colored ribbons. For such bland colors, it seemed to stand out more than the rest of the other dresses that were brighter pinks and reds. No doubt it was made to entice those suffering of Greed, the most common of the cardinal sins. But it was only meant to deter those who couldn’t afford it, sinning was commonplace everywhere. Only served for the best of the Overlords. 

Funny how when you die, it is the same as shit in the upper world.

“I understand, yes. _Gracias_ , Levi. You’ll have your money by the end of the day.” In the inside of the shop, an older moth demon handed the last of his coins to a larger scaly palm. The palm snapped his hand closed like a Venus Fly Trap, it bringing it closer to a larger creature, his teeth shining bright under the candlelight.

“You better, you know Henroin’s gang have been very pesky as of late.” The dragon-like demon looked down through his monocle at the few measly coins he took from the aged moth man, his tail curling up in a less than satisfactory feeling.

“Especially now that their sons will soon be of age. And from what I heard,” The dragon breathed smoke through his nose, the hot air bringing stingy tears to the other’s eyes. “They are more…volatile than their father.”

But the older demon gave a small snicker, his wings giving a slight flicker. They looked as if to be made from cobwebs, all torn and holed from their once constant use, their best years of flying over.

“C’mon, _amigo!_ I will get this as soon as I get done. I managed to get you those lovely gowns, didn’t I?”

“For whom, Valberto? You know they are just for show, an elite coming is rare, purchasing even rarer. It barely happens.”

“But happens.”

The scaled creature sighed, ember sparking from his breath, reminding the smaller of the two moth demons of a dying campfire. True, when business booms, it booms. But it has been rough the past couple of years, sales have declined and what places that were known to sell their goods now became pale imitations of barter bazaars, the exchanges equally pitiful. It was a lot of gamble trusting other citizens of Hell for money after giving them favors, but so far, Levi A. Than has been fortunate to be paid in exchange in helping others find work. It was a gamble he was willing to make if the odds were in his favor, his crippling trait from when he was a respected businessman following him full force to the afterlife. 

A gambling man to his last day. And thereafter. No wonder he landed here. Screwing him competitors out of business to the point of causing poverty and high suicide rates was a hand he lost poorly in. 

But no point to dwell on the past.

Levi watched as the older demon give a cheeky grin as he said his goodbyes, fabric in hand. He quickly ran outside the shop, taking the young girl, his daughter he presumed, with him, the girl less than happy to be manhandled. He sighed again, the coins in his hand a reminder of the promise for more.

_This man better deliver._

The old reptile sighed again as he opened a nearby chest and placed the coins in it. Within due time he supposed.

It’s Hell after all. What more was he waiting for?

The girl growled as the man grabbed at her roughly, pulling her in the direction he was walking to. What kind of agreement he made was beyond her, the younger knowing the trouble the older one could get into. But any trouble could be solved with more tact and consequence in Pentagram City than any other part of the dark realms.

It was better than what she had to put up with in the upper world.

“Let’s go Vagatha! _¡Apurate!_ ”

“Papa, where are we-”

“We are going to miss the train.” The older man rubbed his mustache as the girl, Vagatha, noticed the whistle of the train close by. Must be on the other side of town, they have done several jobs there before. As he continued to pull her his direction, Vagatha looked back momentarily at the shop.

The pretty dress continued to stand there, untouched and unworn like elegant ghost being left behind.

**_Later…_ **

Vagatha carefully placed the needle through the connecting pieces of cloth, careful to not let the sharp end of the needle prick her. It was always hard to connect white on white, especially trying not to dirty it in one’s blood in the process. At least seamstress work was easy to do, it second nature to the young one, a skill she carried when she used to make clothes with her mother.

But even such a skill that she could do blindfolded wasn’t helping when looking at who she was making the clothes for.

Lucifer Magne kept reading the paper as he continued to extend his arm out for Vagatha to stitch and sew the last part of the sleeve.

How Valberto managed to get them this job still had her reeling.

Just a while ago, they stood outside of the intimidating mansion. The Magnes, the _fucking_ Magnes. Hell’s own Royal Family, the ones who determined how all of Hell was governed and who had power that not only extended to all of the Nine Circles but some rumored to even in some business partnership with God Himself. The King of Hell was once a respected Archangel after all.

How the old bug managed to get this favor from the meager circles they run around in was a marvel within itself. The job would help them pay off debts that were made from the minute they were damned, and then some. But Vagatha couldn’t help but think of how much more debt was piled on from this favor alone, and who knows what the payments will be in those cases. Nothing in Hell is for free, favors included

_Just like back then._

“Stand up straight, Vagatha!” Valberto was a crotchety man, his personality only more rotten after his death. He was a gambler and an abusive man when he was alive, and that hasn’t changed, Vagatha still feeling that control over her as strongly as she did when she was in the upper world. He had shoved her forward hard, Vagatha careful to balance the rolls of fabric in her arms as she tried not to trip on the upcoming steps. “And wipe that scowl off.”

Her one eye glared at him more so, the giant red _X_ where the other eye should have been glowing brightly.

But she kept quiet as they entered, her trying hard no to tear into the fabric she was holding tightly.

_If only that was his neck._

Vagatha finally finished the final stitch on the sleeve, her making quick work of the scissors as she began to trim at the frayed ends. She gave a quick glance at the Demon King, him still looking at the paper as he ignored Valberto’s less than funny quips.

Lucifer Magne was an intimidating figure, and that was putting it mildly. Even though he was not much taller than her father, the fat old man, he still carried the air of importance and warning. And death. Lots of death. Despite his colorful disposition in terms of red cheeks, white suit, and devious smile, he was not want to be toyed with. He could kill you without a second thought and that his meaning of showing mercy. But that did not mean he was an animal; God _had_ raised him better than that. He gave a look of approval when Vagatha allowed him to examine the sleeve, him actually seeming impressed by Vagatha’s stitching, her fingers nimble and precise.

While Lucifer turned around to be fitted on the other side by her father, Vagatha stepped back to gather more materials.

As she shuffled through the different colors of cloth, Vagatha looked over at the corner of the den. Another smaller demon around her age was shown having tea with what she presumed was the nanny. The girl looked about as uncomfortable as she was bored as her nanny dictated how to properly drink her tea. In front of her, a small table was placed with fancy little desserts and a full tea set of the finest China.

Hell was both a lawless and lawful place. Even though sinning was a constant, laws were made in place by Lucifer so he could have a population to control. It boiled down to the basics of the hierarchy system, the higher you got up on the pole as a demon or an Overlord, rules seemed to apply less and less. And even that had its limits, the Magnes would be damned (pun intended) if one got over on them. It worked to keep the peace (another pun) and gave the citizens a sense of normalcy like they had when they were alive, with just a tad more bloodshed.

Like putting a jeweled collar on a rabid dog.

“Pinkie up.” The girl, Lucifer’s only daughter and child, tried not to make a face as she lifted the cup gingerly with three fingers. She had blonde hair that was up to her shoulders and braided around back with red lace ribbons. Her dress, a rich silk red with dark red trimmings, gave a sheen off the nearby light. She looked almost the spitting image of her father, from the red cheeks to the pale skin, albeit a bit softer on the features. No doubt the apple of her father’s eye, guessing from the rich clothing and good tea. From what Vagatha has heard, this was the one of the few demons born in Hell. The delicate China cup clinked.

“Arm extended, elbow out.” Her movements were rigid, her look bored and unamused. Despite this, she stole glances at Vagatha, the moth demon more of an interest to her than the tea lesson. She gave a shy smile as she lifted her cup again.

Vagatha felt sorry for the princess, she had to be bored. Even though she never had a life of luxury, Vagatha had a bit more freedom to do as she pleased than the rich did.

Which gave Vagatha an idea.

While the princess looked in curiosity out of the corner of her eye, Vagatha took a small wooden cup and placed a tea-colored piece of cloth onto it. The princess raised a brow as the other placed a hook on it to mimic the handle of a teacup.

“Arm extended, elbow out. Sip, never slurp. Pinkie in the air, arm extended…elbow out. Keep your cup level. Gently lower your cup. Shall we do it again? Pinkie in the air…arm extended, elbow out.”

As the princess raised her cup, Vagatha mimicked her movements as if being taught the lesson herself. The two locked eyes as they both took their respective cups closer to their lips. The nanny, unaware of the little game, continued her teachings.

“Gracefully…”

Then, Vagatha pretended to slurp at her pretend tea, her holding the edge of the cloth between her lips and gave a silly face. The princess couldn’t contain herself anymore. She spat out her tea in the most splendid display, loud and obnoxious. As she chortled from the amusement, tea was now spilt over the fancy desserts and silverware. Vagatha had to laugh too, the new emotion warm and inviting. It was probably the first time in a while since both had a genuine laugh, her smile infectious.

However, Lucifer was not impressed.

“Charlotte, come here.”

As quick as the laughter was made, it suddenly died, the air around them grown cold. Vagatha watched as Charlotte looked almost guiltily at her father, as if she was ashamed to have expressed joy. She slowly got up from her seat, her looking down as she approached her father, the man’s smile not as wide as before. Vagatha had seen demons in constant smiles, as if their face’s were permanently plastered with it. Even if they found no joy in it anymore. As if smiling was the only thing they had left in terms of happiness.

There was no joy in hell.

“Your dress…” Vagatha watched as Charlotte scanned her dress, the bright red now having little brown spots from the tea stains. It would probably wash off easily but that was not the point. She displayed an unladylike behavior and that was unacceptable.

“Is this how we’ve taught you to behave?” The girl flinched under Lucifer’s gaze; her eyes shut as if to force the tears back. Vagatha could stand no more of this. She quickly got up and began tugging at Lucifer’s sleeve. Across the room her father gave a small gasp at the audacity that his daughter not only touch another demon, but _the_ demon king himself. The others looked at her in the same shock but the moth demon was not faltering.

“It’s my fault, sir. I made her laugh.”

The room was utterly silent, one could almost hear a pin drop. Charlotte looked at the brave girl before glancing up at her father. Lucifer’s smile looked like it softened, his attention now entirely on Vagatha.

“Well, thank you for your honesty.”

_Slap!_

Vagatha felt the sharp sting on her cheek as she was knocked down, her head spinning when it hit the velvet floor. Her father and Charlotte gasped as she tried to get up, her more in shock from the slap than the actual pain. Lucifer’s smile was now gone, his face into an unamused scowl. He walked up to the girl, the moth flinching as he took his nearby cane and put it underneath her chin. The jeweled end of it, a ruby apple, forced Vagatha to look up, her now scared of what boundary she crossed.

“Stay away from my daughter.”

With those words, he let go of Vagatha’s chin, her cradling her face as he twirled the cane back to its proper position. He then yanked Charlotte’s arm, the girl in confusion as she was led away, Vagatha then looked at her father, the old man almost in tears, but she knew it was not for her.

Would they lose this job? No one knows how many favors Valberto has made and now they had no money to repay them. The leviathan from earlier is the least of their problems, the dragon was at least cordial.

And that’s saying something.

As her father pitied himself and wondered what would be the next action in terms of payments and more jobs than his own daughter, Vagatha could only think of the princess and her jingling laugh.

**_Later…_ **

Vagatha sat by the beach, her hugging her knees close to her chest as she scanned the endless Red Sea. After the whole fiasco, Lucifer did not say much on the matter and did not return. Valberto had told her not to worry and that he would smooth things out with the demon king. Vagatha did not bring herself to care, her more upset about the punishment Charlotte might have due to her carelessness. The sun was dimming along the horizon as Vagatha buried her face in her knees and sighed. How could she be so stupid? She should be lucky that Lucifer hadn’t killed her on the spot, but she felt like that would have been the easier option.

Suddenly, her ears perked up as she noticed a familiar figure running up the sand dune, her red dress now get haphazardly dirty as she trudged those pretty Mary Jane shoes up the sand. Vagatha straightened up as the figure approached her before sitting down by her side.

“How’d you get out?”

The blonde smoothed out her dress as she got comfortable, not minding the sand. She gave a sad grin, Vagatha catching the gleam of a pointed tooth.

“The window.”

The two sat in silence as they stared out into sea, the liquid sea wetting the red sand into an almost black color. Finally, Vagatha looked over, her big eye sad and desperate.

“Charlo-”

“Charlie. Please.”

“Charlie…” Vagatha mulled over the name as she thought on how to choose her words carefully. Just because Hell’s princess was being nice, did not mean she wasn’t violent. If anything, she could be worse than her intimidating parents.

“I’m so sorry for today. I didn’t mean for your father to be cross with you.”

“Don’t worry about it. He has been stricter with me now that I haven’t been the best…heir. I have a rebellious mouth, not uncommon for demon children, but I tend to lean towards…more gentler rebellions.”

“My father, the old _cabron,_ has made deals that got me in trouble more than him. Hence why I died. I gave him a chance because he was the only familiar face here. I shouldn’t, but I was desperate. And now he has made an unfortunate favor on me.”

“I’m sorry, sometimes I forget some others have it worse than me.”

The moth girl gave a chuckle.

“Do not invalidate your feelings. It’s not easy being the Princess of Hell.”

Charlie gave a relieved sigh, both looking at each before blushing and looking away. Charlie’s smile faltered a bit as she brushed a stray hair back.

“Father is sending me to Finishing School. For the ‘less-than-approved’ royal children. Teach me how to be a proper demon and whatnot. Just because I want joy.”

“What is wrong with that?”

“It’s not… _appropriate._ ” Charlie gave a sad smile. “I already have all these grand expectations laid out for me just because I’m the heir to the throne. My future was planned out before I was even a thought. I guess my father takes after _Him_ more than he thinks.”

Vagatha gave a small chuckle despite the sad truth, her knowing that must be hard when everything Charlie wanted seemed to be the opposite of what Lucifer wanted. The moth demon looked out into the ocean again.

“It must be different when you are born with a purpose, some people can’t even figure out how to live out the next day.” Charlie looked at Vagatha as her eye turned a bit depressed.

“That’s what made us human in a sense. I just lived one day at a time and even though those choices led me to here, I could at least say I had free will. But now that I am here, I feel like that choice was also snatched from me.”

The gray girl buried her face into her knees again, her trying to smile despite the rising tears. She barely knew this girl she was talking to, and yet, she felt as if she was connected to her more than anyone she ever knew.

“I don’t know what my future will be…”

Future was not something demons thought much about after descending into Hell. That was sapped from them the minute they entered Dante’s Inferno. Things like hope, faith, and rainbows were non-existent and Vagatha knew that. She really should leave, the princess had better things to attend to than listen to a lowly demon gripe of her fate. But before she could depress further, she felt a warm hand cover her own, gripping tight. She turned to see Charlie looking at her with a twinkle in her eye, that contagious smile gleaming through.

“I do.”

_(Listen to A Million Dreams movie edition)_

_I close my eyes, and I can see, a world that’s waiting up for me…That I call my own…_

The two girls left the beach into the forest connecting the surrounding area. Charlie ran ahead of Vagatha, her twirling around in the red dress that looked like a flickering flame in the sunset. The leaves crunched under their feet as Vagatha continued to follow Charlie to a secret place she wanted to share with her.

_Through the dark, through the door. Through where no one’s been before. But it feels like home._

They managed to get to the outskirts of forest into a clearing, Charlie moving branches out of the way so Vagatha could see. The grey girl gasped as she caught sight of a large abandoned building, it covered by the forest’s unrelenting forest. It must have not been used for the past few decades. They began to run towards it, the two girls jumping over the boarded entrance, undeterred by the building’s ancient vibe. Charlie mentioned it used to be a hotel of some sort that she discovered a while back when she escaped her etiquette lessons.

As they managed to get through the boarded entrance, Vagatha was trying to get her footing, the leap much higher than she anticipated. Finally, she managed to get her foot on the floor, only to realize it was another slippery piece of wood. She gave a shriek as she almost fell on the floor. But Charlie caught onto her, wrapping her arms around her tight. As she steadied her friend, Vagatha looked up quickly only to bump noses against each other’s. Both blushed as they grinned ear to ear when they steadied themselves. But the moment was short-lived when Vagatha noticed her surroundings, her eye wide in wonder. Charlie noticed this and gave a grin as she led Vagatha through the empty corridor, hand in hand.

_They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy. They can say, they can say I've lost my mind I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy. We can live in a world that we design…_

The hotel was a huge infrastructure, lost within the vines and weather. But it held firm, a certain elegance coming through it. Much like the rest of Hell, it had its color spectrum of reds, but it seemed to give more of a warm feeling than intimidating.

_'Cause every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake! I think of what the world could be! A vision of the one I see! A million dreams is all it's gonna take! A million dreams for the world we're gonna make._

Vagatha was so caught up on the hotel’s interior, she didn’t notice Charlie hiding behind the old check-in counter. When she turned around upon noticing Charlie wasn’t holding her hand anymore, the blonde popped up in surprise, her eyes now a bright red and teeth sharper than before. The moth demon shrieked before bursting out in giggles, Charlie sticking her tongue out into a raspberry. Laughing has never felt so good. When was the last time she really has laughed? As she tried to catch her breath, Charlie jumped up on the counter and began whispering some words under her breath. When Vagatha looked up, she saw a bright yellow fire emitted from the girl’s hands, it lighting up the room. The objects around the hotel began to make shadow figures that danced alongside the flicker of the flame like shadow puppets. It was almost magical, Charlie’s eyes growing brighter when she saw Vagatha rendered amazed by the simple lightshow. 

_They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy. They can say, they can say I've lost my mind I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy. Run away to a world that we design…_

_'Cause every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake! I think of what the world could be! A vision of the one I see! A million dreams is all it's gonna take! A million dreams for the world we're gonna make._

The two began their long hike back up to the Magne Mansion. Lilith, Charlie’s mother, was kind enough to offer the two dressmakers for the night. The span of the hours was the best Vagatha had ever had, her still holding Charlie’s hand tightly. Charlie had promised they would write letters to each other and Vagatha hoped that she would stay true to her word.

Another emotion that Vagatha hadn’t felt in years.

But as they entered the living area, Vagatha looked in shock as she saw her bag was wrapped nice as if she was leaving tonight. Lucifer stood by the corridor, as if he was expecting their arrival.

“W-What’s this?” Vagatha voice stuttered as she thickly swallowed knowing the answer. “S-Sir?”

Lucifer with that perma-grin back at full force tilted his head in mock confusion.

“Your things, dear. Your father already collected payment, I assumed you will be catching up to him considering you have been…busy.” He eyed Charlie in disapproval, seeing as it was his daughter who could not help but associate with the other demon. But the girl ignored him, her more worried about the spiral her friend seemed to go through. But Vagatha ignored it, her breaking away from Charlie’s hand.

_Again._

Her father left her _again_. This was like how it was in the upper world, him selling out his family for cheap booze and bad gambles. Now he left, taking whatever he could and left his daughter behind as collateral damage. Vagatha gripped tightly at her hair, the faded ribbon holding her hair back beginning to glow bright red, the folded edges becoming sharp and pointed. Her canines were becoming sharper and she was on the verge of an explosion. The red X seemed to grow a bright shade of red. Where would she go? What would she do? How-

Before she could unleash a power surge, Vagatha felt a warm hand grab at hers. She looked at the princess through the tears she unexpectedly shed. The girl seemed to give her some sort of calm, Vagatha feeling reassured as Charlie simply nodded and looked up.

“I’ll go to finishing school.” This seemed to perk up her father, Lucifer’s attention at full stance as Charlie walked up to him. For a fresh adolescent, she definitely had a powerful stance, no doubt inherited by her mother. Nothing to be expected less of Hell’s Heir.

“My dear,” Lucifer lowered his head down to be at eye level with her, Charlie trying to ignore that it was meant more to mock her than take seriously. “All for a vagabond you just met? What could you possibly want for her?”

“Make Vaggie your dressmaker.”

“What?” That broke Vagatha out of her trance, her ribbon reverting back to normal. Lucifer even stepped back a little, him surprised by the audacity of Charlie’s offer. But she maintained her stance, continuing.

“You have been saying you want another dressmaker, and you like her work. You are still wearing it.”

Lucifer tugged his arm back behind him, a slight blush dusting his face as he was caught. Despite his daughter’s brazen behavior, Lucifer was almost enraged to think Charlie actually had a point. Vagatha’s work was above exceptional, never had Lucifer seen such flawless stitching. Even his usual tailor failed in ways she had succeeded. That, and killing him last month was just furthering his daughter’s point. Vagatha looked back and almost dropped her mouth. Oh Hell, he was _actually_ considering it.

After a few moments, Lucifer gave a loud sigh, him running his hand back to slick his hair. Charlie had not turned her gaze, black irises staring at him pointedly.

“I’ll…keep her as a servant,” the fallen angel watched as his daughter’s eyes gleamed brightly, only for him to stick a finger in her face. “ _Only_ if you go to finishing school and _complete_ it. No more backtalk on it, no more refusing.” He turned to Vagatha, the moth girl looking up in confusion.

“And you better be at my beck and call. I expect nothing but the finest tailor work. Anytime I need it, day or night.”

Lucifer looked back at Charlie before Vagatha could answer. “And once you are done, she is your responsibility. Understood?”

Charlie tried very hard to keep her excitement in, the though of Finishing School not as bad as she first thought. But before she could say anything else, her eyes widened as Lucifer held out his hand to her. Suddenly, a bright red flame burst out, his smile a bit wider when his daughter gave a slight flinch.

“Charlie!”

“Do we have a deal?”

A deal. A soul-binding agreement that could not be broken lest you want to suffer consequences worse than death. But Charlie was not one to falter on the dramatics, her quickly grabbing her father’s hand before shaking it. She could feel his fingers gripping her tightly as if to further cement the gravity of her situation. The fire burned brighter but did not feel hot. After a few moments, it slowly dissipated to nothing, Lucifer letting go slowly.

“It’s a deal.”

The princess turned on her heel away from her smiling parent. She had to pack her things now that Lucifer has gotten his way, him no doubt waiting to get her on the first carriage there. As she walked away, Charlie grabbed Vagatha’s hand, taking the girl with her.

Once they were far away in the hallways, Vagatha gripped Charlie’s arm, forcing them to stop.

“Charlie…”

“I didn’t just do it for you, you know.” Grey eyes met yellow as they continued to look at each other. “I did this to show I am not afraid of him. That I can handle any challenge.” Then she gave a mischievous grin. “And besides, I never said I was going to make it easy.”

Vagatha gave a small smile, Charlie prompting her to look at her.

“Write to me every day?”

“Of course.”

And that was how the friendship started. Charlie left early the next morning, Vagatha chasing after her carriage in shouts and protests. But the moth knew better, her knowing Charlie has given her an opportunity to prove her worth in Hell, something no one has ever given her even when she was alive. So they began to write letters to each other as promised. Each letter was like living in each other’s mind, sharing secrets, opinions, thoughts, and dreams.

And throughout the years of writing their most intimate feelings, the friendship slowly developed into love.

_A million dreams are keeping me awake._

_I think of what the world could be!_

_A vision of the one I see! A million dreams is all it's gonna take!_

Vagatha, now lovingly called Vaggie by the Magnes, looked out the window and wondered if Charlie was doing well. It was already winter in Hell, the snow literally freezing the city over. She was probably in no doubt frustrating her father, her smiling from when his distant rants in the other room. It already was a year and the maid has been doing well from the Magnes’ care, Lucifer enjoying the coats she has made and the dresses she repaired for the missus. From the last letter she received, the princess has made a few friends but mostly kept to herself. No one apparently understood her, her rather keep her social circle small than risk additional mockery. That must be hard on the princess, that extroverted personality probably suffering from the lack of social activities.

 _I hope she is okay,_ Vaggie gave a sad smile as she pictured Charlie looking out her window of that stuffy boarding school watching the snow fall. She must be so alone. But Vaggie gave the most recent letter from her friend a tight squeeze as she heard the paper crumble, her reciting the same line they always told each other since that day on the beach: 

_A million dreams for the world we're gonna make._

**_YEARS LATER…_ **

Charlie quickly jumped off the carriage, her thanking the coach as he grunted an acknowledgement. She looked up to see her old home, the mansion still large and intimidating, but not so much as it was back then. She quickly ran up the dirt road towards it, her fixing her jacket and straightening up the suspenders. After years of those stupid dresses, the princess made sure her first purchase away from the school was a good pair of pants and a nice crisp shirt.

After some time, Charlie finally reached the doorstep, her knocking on the thick oak.

Despite her cheerful disposition, Charlie knew her father did not take the news well after announcing she was stepping back from the family to pursue her own ambitions. The deal from years ago only provided him with so much leverage, Charlie finishing her end of the bargain while almost giving him an aneurysm of all the hell she gave her tutors. But it was done and now, she was ready to break free of her break free of her family’s approval, Lucifer’s hands were tied.

After a few moments, the giant oak door creaked open, the hinges squeaking from being rusted with time. There stood Lucifer, them now the same height, if not Charlie having half an inch on him. He hasn’t changed at all since she last saw him, though that same perma-smile a tad bit less enthusiastic. Charlie gave an awkward smile as she gave a small bow since a curtsy would just be awkward without a dress, hat in hand.

The little girl still shy under her father’s gaze.

Slowly, Charlie began the speech she prepared for months. “Father…I know I haven’t been what you wanted, but I promise to make you proud. I will make something of myself on my own and make myself a life as grand as this one.”

Lucifer gave a huff as he looked away. This was never a conversation he ever planned on having with his daughter, the rebellious streak no doubt inherited from him. Charlie started to get uncomfortable as Lucifer remained silent, never a good thing. But before she could get more nervous, her eye caught someone a little more welcoming. Vaggie was coming down the stairs, smile as big as the day they met, her clad in a dark denim blue dress and black coat, her hair now long past her waist with a red ribbon holding it back. Charlie’s eyes lit up with pure adoration as she watched Vaggie take her small suitcase from Lilith.

“Thank you, Mrs. Magne.”

While Charlie was starstruck by her beloved, Lucifer cleared his throat to grab her attention. The blonde watched as he narrowed his cat like eyes and smiled sadistically.

“You’ll be back,” he sneered lightly. “Sooner or later, you’ll tire of this life of having nothing and you’ll be running back home.”

Charlie gave an even glare as as she pulled Vaggie close to her. She knew this was a mind game and she was not one for those. With a curt goodbye wave, the two women turned around and ignored how Lucifer slammed the door closed. But they couldn’t bring themselves to care. They giggled arm in arm, as they got ready to take the next train to the city.

Vaggie feeling more excited to be closer than ever to Charlie.

They arrived in the heart of Pentagram City a few hours later, the city lighting up in colorful lights and many sounds. The two women marveled at how much more industrialized Hell was, the city much different than the last time Vaggie was there. Charlie gave a huge smile as she began to twirl Vaggie around in the middle of the station as the train smoke blew around them, the two so excited to begin their new lives together.

They did it. They finally did it.

As Charlie danced with her girlfriend, she caught sight of a fancy restaurant overhead. It was quaint little place, all decorated with flowers and elegant flare, rare for this city but still there. It had to provide temptation in these ways, it indulging sinners any way possible. But it reminded Charlie of her old life. These were the comforts she was used to, expected to attend and actually enjoyed them from time to time. The lump in her throat got a bit bigger as her father’s words began to echo in her mind. Like the snake coaxing Eve to eat the apple.

Vaggie, sensing this, quickly pulled her away, Charlie surprised when Vaggie pulled her close. Before Charlie could question her motives, her mouth could not find the words as she took a good look at how much Vaggie has changed through the years. Her smile was bigger than ever, her eye shining brightly as if Charlie was the salvation she lost so long ago. And that was when Charlie felt like she found her purpose again, her sanity now grounded once more. She gave a jingle of laugh as she spun Vaggie around again.

Now she knew what she must do.

_Every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake! I think of what the world could be! A vision of the one I see! A million dreams is all it's gonna take! A million dreams for the world we're gonna make._

When Vaggie finished spinning around, she stopped to see Charlie down on one knee. Before she could question it, her eye spotted a bright ruby ring in the middle of a small ornate box. Emotions flushed through her as Charlie gave a nervous grin as if too scared to ask the question that should follow this moment. But she didn’t need to say anything. Vaggie gave the biggest smile anyone has ever seen and nodded yes.

_However big, however small_ _. Let me be part of it all. Share your dreams with me._

They rented a small flat on the other side of town, Charlie noting how much different it was from her place when they first arrived. New adjustment was not proving to be any easier, everything was changing faster than she could control. But Vaggie, the ever constant rock, sensing her uncertainty just gave her arm a squeeze as she gave a huge smile, her just happy to finally have a place of their own. Before Charlie could say anything, Vaggie took out a nearby picnic cloth and set it out. They had fun the rest of the afternoon, talking and laughing before kissing into night.

_You may be right, you may be wrong_ _. But say that you'll bring me along. To the world you see. To the world I close my eyes to see. I close my eyes to see!_

After the picnic, they decided to explore their flat a little bit more. They ended up on the rooftop, the two could not resist the urge to run around like two lovesick teenagers around the edge, the two pulling each other away from the edge as the city illuminated behind them. As Charlie spun her around by the sheets that were drying in the wind, she could not help but think this was their first dance. How could someone so wonderful possibly exist in her life, the word _wife_ still a marvel to the former princess. With a flick of the wrist, Charlie spun Vaggie again, the girl laughing as she spun into the giant sheets, her disappearing into them.

Charlie chuckled as she walked into the drying sheets, her pushing them aside as she tried to find her wife within the house of drying sheets. Wife. Charlie gave a secret grin as she spotted the outline shadow of the woman, it not making an effort to hide. Slowly, she leaned against the figure through the sheet, her heart swelling in the feeling as their hands intertwined.

_'Cause every night I lie in bed…the brightest colors fill my head._

_A million dreams are keeping me awake._

Vaggie pushed the sheet aside as if to surprise her, Charlie laughing and lifting her in her arms.

_A million dreams. A million dreams!_

_I think of what the world could be! A vision of the one I see! A million dreams is all it's gonna take! A million dreams for the world we're gonna make!_

With a swift motion, Charlie put Vaggie back down, wrapping her arms around her. They began to stare at each other, the two blushing as the pentagram moon shone down at them. Vaggie placed her hands on Charlie’s chest, her giving a girlish giggle as the taller girl nuzzled her close. Then, Vaggie felt her chin lifted up as she caught sight of her wife’s yellow eyes glowing in the moonlight.

After all these years, after everything Vaggie has been through, she had never imagined to be with someone like Charlie. She slowly closed her eyes as Charlie lowered herself down before pressing her lips firmly on hers. It only lasted for a moment, but Vaggie felt like it was the eternity she had always prayed for when she went to church with her mother. Salvation, happiness, love.

Joy.

They pulled apart, Vaggie giving a soft smile as Charlie pressed their foreheads together, both gazing into each other’s eyes. Them not wanting to let each other go.

_For the world we’re gonna make…_

Charlie then pulled her closer, her feeling Vaggie bury her face into her neck. Her arms wrapped around her in a vice, her hands burying into her long grey hair that shone like silver in the moonlight. While Vaggie was enjoying the simple feel of having her wife in her arms, Charlie was thinking different thoughts, her smile fading as she looked at the city. She was processing all of what happened in the short time she had left her family. The small flat they have bought, courtesy of Lilith as a secret wedding gift. The ring that Charlie spent almost all of her meager savings on. The edge of the city that they lived in, given only to less than average middle class. This was a far cry from what luxuries she has grown up in and what Vaggie had become accustomed to. Her grip got tighter as she tried to make sense of it.

This was not the life she promised Vaggie.

But despite all of it, Charlie began to think of the good that was coming out of all it, her hopeful nature peeking through. She would get there, her own way, without her father’s help. She needed to, for her sake. For Vaggies. For the million other dreams she had made throughout the years. She gave a determined look as she buried her face in that silver hair, her comforted by the person it belonged to.

She would show everyone her own way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have decided to change the roles between Charlie and Vaggie just a tad due to making it a bit more believable with how they canonically are. But Charlie is still going to be in Hugh Jackman role, do not worry on that! This really was a lot to work through, especially since I don't want to make it like a screen play. But I hope you guys like it all the same! And as for future chapters, I want to see how I am going to try to produce them more in a timely manner, but song parts will take longer and I plan to add extra scenes since I like complexity. But until then, enjoy!


	3. Chapter 2: A Million Dreams Reprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! And that it is so...short? I was never good at writing beginning but I do find it fun fleshing out the characters despite it. Hopefully the next chapter won’t take as long but it will be longer! And a few more characters will be added!
> 
> (Warning: there is a minor mention of suicide, if you don’t like it, quickly skip to the dialogue!)

_(Listen to A Million Dreams Reprise)_

**_A few years later…_ **

****

_Clink…Clink…Clink…Clink…_

Charlie sighed loudly as she clinked the final letter on the typewriter. The day has been dragging to say the least, the hours taking an eternity and a day just to end. As she pulled out the paper from the ancient machine, her large yellow eyes quickly scanned it to see if there were any errors. Not that it would matter anyways, but the girl always prided herself in punctuation. It was the only joy that seemed to be sapped away at this monotonous task, however, her perfectionist streak hardly lifting her spirits. She sighed again and put the paper on the large pile of “Done” documents. Normally, it would please a person to see how much work was done in a short amount of time, one would almost say thrilling.

But that couldn’t be said in this situation, especially when the “To-Do” pile right next made this mountain a molehill in the literal sense. Charlie glumly took a new sheet and rolled it into the typewriter before starting the grueling process all over again.

Times have been hard since the beginning of the modern mechanics and medicine. One would think that it would make progress and life a tad easier for the citizens, but Pentagram City was another demon within itself, forcing its residents to struggle getting their footing in anything stable. Everyone was trying to make a living in Hell, it functioning much like the living world, just with a tad less regulation. Charlie glanced over her typewriter, her eyes momentarily giving that slight pain of eye strain. Before she could squeeze her eyes shut for relief, she caught sight of the building next door. It was one of the other soul keep departments, each showing a window of demons doing the same monotonous task she was.

And then she saw someone jump out the window.

Charlie gave a slight gasp and looked over in a slight panic. Some demons in her office area did catch sight of it but they looked more bothered by it or at the very least, not caring in the slightest. As if they just caught sight of a passing fancy.

Despite the obvious worry, Charlie did sense herself relax, her looking back down at her work. But even though she looked at ease, her hands trembled, the keyboard looking a bit blurry. She wasn’t thinking of that poor imp that just launched himself outside from literal boredom, family and home now up for grabs to others.

No, it was her wondering if this was her life now. She quickly looked back down to her work, her giving a loud gulp. As if she just saw her foreseeable future. Not the one next in line to the throne.

_Am I next in line for **that**? _

After cutting herself from her family, mostly Lucifer, Charlie began wondering how her life ended up like this, her rebellion not as grand as she once thought. It was a fall from grace, in every literal sense. She went from being the top of the hierarchy in existence’s most horrific settings to below the pyramid. From indulging in every one of the Seven Deadly Sins without consequence to struggling with the punishment that was given to all the demons that committed those far less than she has. All because she could not conform to what her father wanted.

An heir still under the original King.

Once Lucifer had made it clear that he was not willing to finance her in any way, Charlie had been making herself useful by picking up on random jobs in the seedy underbelly of the city. It was hard to find a job that not only made somewhat steady pay but was not involved with Lucifer in any way.

Charlie has been sure to herself away from the Magne name, despite her struggles, she wanted to make a living her own way without her parent’s influence. But despite this, other demons still feared her since she still had the title of “Princess of Hell.” Even if said princess was cut off from her family, no one wanted to test that knowledge in fear of being exterminated. She was still known to be the only child of Lucifer and Lilith, the apple of her father’s eye whether he admits it or not. No one wanted to be associated with them, knowing it would cause them more failure than succession.

But she still found her way.

She was lucky to have found one of Hell’s many soul-tracking departments. Logging souls and their cause of death was already a death sentence within itself and not a lot of people crowded around it as a first choice on the job market. But Charlie did not have an option to be picky.

_At least until I can do something more than this._

Just as she was finishing her musing and slight panic attack, Charlie caught sight of her supervisor. He was a tall bird-like looking fellow, his outfit consisting of a bowler hat and a stiff suit, face always twisted in a scowl. A monocle was delicately placed over his one eye that was darkened with what almost looked like a heart-shaped pupil. He was shuffling through papers, him grunting as he took into account what could have been numbers and stats from last quarter. Charlie immediately brightened up, the wheels in her head spinning.

Raise morale, of course! This place could use it, just because it was the literal cesspool in all of the Nine Circles did not mean people couldn’t get _some_ joy out of it. She got out of her seat in a hurry to catch up with the man, him stopping to talk to one of the employees, him not too thrilled of being bothered in an already mundane job. He did not even make an attempt to hide his annoyance as he rolled his eyes when Charlie’s cheerful face approached him.

“Mr. Travis?”

“What?”

“Have a look at this, here?”

“Yes, yes, I see it…Thank you Morty, that will do.”

Charlie waited for the large Gordon, Morty, to move aside to complete his other task. Travis looked less than amused when he caught sight of the Magne girl, him not bothering to hide it.

“Sir, Charlotte Magne!”

Travis ignored it as he continued to shuffle through his papers, Charlie hot on his heels.

“If I may sir, I believe I have skills and ideas that go well beyond counting numbers into an adding machine. I have read about this German fellow on the upper world, Lilienthal! I believe he’s developed a glider that could take a man in the air, sir! Isn’t that amazing?! I mean, if you could apply that to this business it could be revolutionary-”

“Everyone! Can I have your attention?” Travis’s voice boomed throughout the large room, everyone stopping their typing to look up. Even Charlie stopped as he heard the matter-a-fact voice he had, clearly even he was troubled.

“You are all dismissed!”

The waves of shock and murmurs rang throughout the room, demons looking at each other in disbelief. Travis gave another sigh as he lowered his papers in defeat. He glanced up at the princess, her looking a bit less shocked and that didn’t surprise him. Charlie was probably the only one who seemed to know what to ask, her knowing causes of a mass unemployment like this.

She was a Magne after all.

“Bankruptcy?” Charlie stared down in disbelief. “I thought the company had a dozen soul shipping ships.”

“Yeah, at the bottom of the river Styx.” Travis looked even disappointed himself, Charlie knowing how he had a wife at home same as her. He handed her a few documents that showed the deeds, the Magne seal imprinted on all of them. Once important documents, now having less worth than a napkin. “A turf war sunk them all.”

“But my fath-”

“He won’t put a dime, princess,” he sneered. “Due to more advancement in medicine in the upper world and lowering mortality, he doesn’t think it’s _necessary_ to build any more. At least, not for a long while.” He turned around and waved his hand flippantly.

“Just…go home, Charlotte.”

Travis walked past her, him not bothering to move aside as he bumped her away. But the blonde wasn’t bothered, or even cared. Charlie continued to look at the deeds in her hand with a withdrawn look.

Of course Lucifer wouldn’t save this company, it was the last on his list. But not so much so because of recession or mortality rates. No, he wasn’t as business-oriented as he let on.

_It’s because he probably knew I was here._

After a few seconds, Charlie slowly went over to her desk and opened her briefcase. There, she tossed the little valuables she owned along with business memorabilia, the deeds Travis has given her thrown in half hazardously. Might as well bring a memento on what caused yet another problem in her job searching. But that wasn’t what was bothering, her upset that she was almost used to the feeling of being let go. It was the aftereffect that followed, her closing the briefcase with more force than needed, it clicking loudly.

How was she going to do this to Vaggie again?

**_Later…_ **

****

Charlie begrudgingly walked into the small flat, her movements slow and heavy as she locked the door behind her. She noticed the dim candlelight in the corner being the only thing greeting her, it looking just as depressing as she was at the moment, it’s flame barely lighting up the corner it was in . Alongside it was a bucket, it nearly filled to the brim as it caught the leaking water droplets from the crack in the ceiling above. Charlie was planning on fixing it with this next paycheck.

_But now, it won’t even cover half a patch._

As she walked into the flat, she noticed how quiet it was. Charlie glances around only to see that Vaggie was not there. But she did hear some laughter up on the roof. And an open window. Without putting her briefcase down, Charlie crawled out to the fire escape, her balancing it as she climbed up the rusted ladder, the creaking just reminding her how aged this building was.

It didn’t take long to get up to the roof, her large yellow eyes peaking up as she spotted who she was looking for. There, just as expected, was Vaggie, her laughter now louder and much clearer than trying to catch it through the walls despite them being thin.

The slim woman was dancing around two little goat-like demons, them flitting around her like fireflies with their small bursts of fire breath, their giggles mingling with hers. Charlie gave a small smile as she saw her wife enjoying herself without a care in the world, as if this moment was all that mattered, Razzle and Dazzle further elevating her joy.

The two little goat-dragons, Razzle and Dazzle, were once toys Charlie owned before Lucifer breathed life into them. A wedding present he claimed when they left at her doorstep after her wedding (him not even bothering to be a witness to a courthouse date). Even though it later found out that it was Lilith who had them delivered to her, Charlie was pretty sure Lucifer was on no speaking terms with her still. But that did not damper Charlie’s joy when she saw them, her happy to be reunited with something she held so dear in her childhood. They were made to enjoy all she liked to do, music and singing when her father would allow it. But unlike the toys she could leave behind without worry, now she and Vaggie treated them like children, them acting as such.

As the two goat demons fluttered away to play elsewhere, Vaggie turned around to notice Charlie climbing up over the ledge, she giving a mock startle. The blonde waved apologetically.

“Hey.”

“Oh hell! You’re home early!”

Vaggie smiled brightly before skipping over to her wife. She gave her the automatic welcome home kiss before letting go and proceeding to a forgotten laundry basket nearby, her picking up a sheet and tossing it over the empty clothesline. Charlie frowned as she lifted the letter of dismissal for Vaggie to see.

“And until further notice.”

Vaggie took the paper from her, Charlie looking defeated of even having this conversation with her again. Despite it being often, the defeat was no less shameful.

“Oh…” but Vaggie simply shook her head and gave an easy smile.

“I didn’t think you were along for that job.”

Charlie sighed and helped her straighten the sheet. “Or any job apparently,” she grumbled.

Vaggie then turned to Charlie and placed her hand on her arm, the blonde instinctively putting her hand over it. She was still giving that comforting smile, her eye understanding.

“That’s what makes our life together so exciting.”

Charlie shook her head before meeting her gaze.

“Vaggie…” she murmured. “This isn’t the life I promised you.”

Her wife tilted her head in confusion.

“But I have everything I want.”

Charlie groaned in exasperation. Normally, most spouses would be relieved their significant was so understanding but even that had its limits. She leaned closer to Vaggie.

“What about the magic?”

They stood quiet for a moment while Vaggie mulled over the question., her lip puckered in thought. Then she gave a soft smile and grabbed Charlie by the hands. The blonde allowed herself to be led to the edge of the roof before stopping. Vaggie nodded towards that direction as Charlie looked up. Her eyes widened as they saw the lights of the city twinkle in the sky underneath the pentagram moon. The moth woman rested her head on the former heir’s shoulder and sighed dreamily.

“What do you call this view? Better than anything I saw at your parent’s mansion.”

Charlie gave a small smile as she wrapped her arm around Vaggie’s shoulders. Leave it to her to find the silver lining anywhere and at anytime. Despite Pentagram City being the epicenter of the Underworld, it truly wasn’t all fire and brimstone. It shown much like any city, full of energy and full of…life. It gave the same aspect of finding yourself and trying to achieve happiness where one could find it. Sure it was not the ideal place to find positivity, but it made the journey so much more interesting. And the find so much more worth it. It didn’t help reverse the problems they had of now, but it helped distract her if just for a moment. While Charlie kept looking at the city below, Vaggie caught sight of two familiar little figures running around. She waved her arm to catch their attention.

“Hey guys! Guess who showed up?!”

The two little goats stopped in mid-air before catching sight of Charlie who gave a smaller wave.

“Charlie!” The blonde laughed a “Come here!” as she outstretched her arms before the two smaller demons barreled into her chest. Vaggie smiled fondly as Charlie twirled the two around, her laughing for the first time today. As she stopped twirling them to set them down, Razzle was the first to speak.

“Did you bring a present?”

Charlie pauses for a moment and looked at the goat on her head. She smiled in confusion as Dazzle continued to hold onto her while also staring at her eagerly.

“Present, for what?”

Dazzle giggled as he cuddled up into her chest. “For our birthday!” That bought the blonde to a halt, her looking questioningly at the two demons.

“Your what?”

“Our birthday!” They squealed in unison as Charlie tried to put them down. She gave an uncomfortable laugh as she set them down, her starting to sweat a little.

“It’s not your birthday!” She chided, though it was weak and sounded doubtful.

The two goat demons brayed in unison, them thinking it was a joke before the big surprise. Since they have become alive, Charlie and Vaggie treated them as their children, feeding and watching over them. The women raised them with good morals (or as good as you can get in Hell) and with the happiness and attention the two lacked so desperately before.

And that included celebrating the day they were created.

Which Charlie completely forgotten.

And even if she did remember, what money did she have to buy them gifts? Lilith just got them started on the flat, but the monthly rent and utilities were all Charlie’s responsibility. Even when Vaggie managed to find some side work on odd tailoring jobs, it made meager wages and barely covered basic costs.

But that did not deter Charlie’s ever vivid imagination. Quickly, she wracked her brain for any form of an idea, any snake oil salesman would be proud. Her large yellow eyes caught sight of her forgotten briefcase, and they widened as a story began to spin in her head. Charlie gave a secret grin and quickly ran to grab her suitcase, the little flying hybrids hot on her heels, Vaggie following closely behind. Even she wanted to know what Charlie had up her sleeve. They settled by the nearby drying sheets, almost feeling like a makeshift tent as Charlie sat crisscross with the briefcase on her lap, Razzle and Dazzle waiting impatiently in front of her. Like a magician getting ready for an act, Charlie put on her best announcement voice before popping the suitcase open.

“Okay, I do have a present!” The goat boys cheered before Vaggie quietly shushed them so her wife could continue.

“But not just any present, oh no!” Charlie began to take apart a small oil lamp from her now old job behind the briefcase, her removing the glass and folding the metal around with hot fingers.

“The most amazing birthday present ever. This extraordinary was originally created by the Egyptians as a present for their gods thousands of years ago. But the blueprints have been lost for centuries, until just last week, on a stormy night...when Charon came by and confiscated the valuables of a mummy’s spirit due to lack of coins on the River Styx. He collected all sorts of treasures...and the blueprints were recovered by none other than me! The blueprints crossed my desk very briefly...but I managed to commit them to memory...and if had remembered correctly…”

She put a tin can poked with holes all over on top of the candlestick. _I think this should do it,_ she thought as she took it from the briefcase, her shutting it before placing her little invention on top of it. Razzle and Dazzle looked on in quiet yet excited fascination at the contraption, Charlie then lighting it up with a flick of a finger.

And with a little demonic magic, she spun it with her fire.

The light began to dance off the sheets like a light show, the two little goats bats looking in awe as shadows danced around them. Vaggie even looked in wonder and remembered how Charlie used that same trick on her so long ago at the abandoned hotel. Razzle and Dazzle turned around in bright eyes and the biggest grins, Charlie giving a small smile. She didn’t need to get them expensive gifts to produce this type of joy.

This pure innocent _happiness._

“Happy birthday you two.”

The two little demons bounced towards the little lantern, them curious on what it was. Charlie continued to watch it spin as the two sniffed and examined it with their reptilian-like eyes. They may have guessed it what it was, Charlie knew they were not naïve. But they were like children still, wonder and imagination clouding reason. And that was not always a bad thing. It was wonderful to have that childlike astonishment, it giving them a safe place away from reality, even if just for awhile. The princess leaned in as the boys got closer, waiting for the tale of this magical invention to continue.

“This is a wishing machine,” she whispered as if telling an important secret. “You tell it your wishes…and it keeps them safe until they come true. Even if you forget them, they are always there.”

The princess looked lovingly at her former plushies, them looking a bit eager to try this little lantern. Whether they knew it was false and just a quick makeshift creation to make up for forgetting their birthday, she was unsure. But judging by the childlike wonder in their eyes as they shone in the shadows seemed to tell her they loved it all the same. Razzle was the first nose at it, his soft snout feeling warm by the candle’s glow. He looked at his adoptive mother with eagerness to try this wishing machine.

“Can I tell a wish?”

“Step right up! Go ahead!”

Razzle leaned towards the lantern, him closing his eyes in deep concentration before whispering.

“I wish… to marry Krampus!”

The two goat boys melted into an explosion of giggles at the silliness, Vaggie chuckling at their little joke. Charlie snickered.

“Hey, that _is_ a good wish.” She looked to see Dazzle rubbing his hooves together, him looking a little flustered. Charlie gave a soft smile, knowing Dazzle was a bit shyer and more reserved of the two. He looked up in those wide eyes and Charlie almost melted. She motioned him forward and let him closer to the lantern. The little goat lowered his lids and gave a soft whisper so low, Charlie almost didn’t catch it.

“I wish…for a piano.”

That caused Charlie to pause, her smile fading a little bit. Unlike Razzle who was more for silliness, Dazzle was more sincere and sensitive. One could truly see him wanting this wish to come true. Charlie remembered how she would play all types of musical instruments to them when she was a child, so of course her love of music has transferred to them almost like a genetic gene of hair color or dimples would. She felt a slight stinging at the corners of her eyes as if threatening tears, the sense of failure creeping up like a bad dream encroaching a good one.

Vaggie, sensing this, gave a comforting hand on Charlie’s shoulder, breaking her from her trance. Charlie gave a smile, smaller than before, and kissed Dazzle on his head.

“Hey…that’s a good wish too.”

“What’s your wish Vaggie?” Vaggie chuckled at the two boys looking at her now, her leaning towards Charlie.

“I wish…for happiness.” She looked at her brood, her face ever gentle and understanding. “For you and you…” She then looked at Charlie, the blonde putting a hand over hers and entwining their fingers together before looking back at them. “And for your mom over here.”

Razzle, ever the less subtle twin, just puckered his face.

“Boring!” Vaggie and Charlie laughed as the latter took him in her arms, him laughing as she hugged him tight.

“Since when is happiness ever boring?”

While the trio joked and laughed, Dazzle continued to look up at the makeshift light show on the sheets, his eyes still wide and bright with wonder as he walked a few steps away.

_Every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake…_

The group stopped laughing and looked at the younger twin as he continued his musings, him staring at the lights like a show of falling stars. Razzle, sensing this same wonder, jumped out of Charlie’s arms to join his brother, taking his hoof with his. The two looked at each other in that quiet language twins develop telepathically before looking back at the light show.

_I dream of what the world could be. A vision of the one I see. A million dreams is all it’s gonna take._

Charlie looked up at them as they hugged each other, her little lantern now forgotten. She then looked at the lights too, wondering if she could also catch this wonder that seemed to slip from her grasp with every passing yearz and yet, she still grabs to it firmly, a lifeline that has yet to break. As she continued to look at her children, her own wishes then flowed from her lips, them now going into the lantern like a fallen whisper.

_A million dreams for the world we’re gonna make._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to make Razzle and Dazzle their children, because I mean, come on! Look at them! Plus, I’m not a huge fan of making OC main characters. 
> 
> I did mix Egyptian with Roman/Greco mythology, I like to think all forms of beliefs are connected in some way. That, and I kept thinking of Lore Olympus for the most part.


	4. Chapter 3: New Ventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally! I am so sorry I have not been updating, a lot has been going on and at first I thought of scrapping the project. But people have been enjoying this so I figured, why not? Finish it! This chapter will be short but I can assure you it will pick up momentum. So for now, please enjoy this and let me know what you think!

Charlie sat impatiently on the bench as she twiddled her thumbs, the black colored nails picking incessantly at the stark white skin around it. The demons sitting next to her seemed to take whatever available space she had, Charlie feeling smushed against larger bodies, tails, horns, and wings. Even the edges of their newspaper reading material tickled her nose.

But despite this, the former princess preferred this, her uncomfortable spot amongst the group of demons as she waited for her turn to see the banker. It was already a long line to even see the creatures that protect the currency system, her happy to finally be inside of the large Romanesque building instead of standing on the endless line outside. It had about the same appeal of the unemployment line but was less drastic. Yet still a bore. Charlie sighed as her hands still held onto the suitcase from last night. Aside from that little “wishing” contraption she made, she failed to empty it, her just eager to get started on this new venture as soon as possible.

Just because Vaggie was still understanding about her constant unemployment, it did not mean it would last forever. And Charlie was the last person to test that.

Before she could think more of her angelic wife, a scuffle suddenly rang out throughout the waiting room, her and a few other heads turning to hear what almost was a shriek. The door to the banker was suddenly slammed open, a weird looking demon coming out, his fish fins flared open by his head to further display the physical aspect of his rage. A creature Charlie has yet to see.

When a newcomer is sent to Hell, they tend to be changed into an anthropomorphic version of themselves, no one ever truly held onto their human form. Some of it served as simply punishment for sinking so low, but sometimes it was also to serve a reminder to them of the sin they committed, or a grim memory tied to their death. Some got luckier than others with looking decent while others were too ugly to look in the eye.

This one was a short gentleman, his suit looking more like a long trench coat, long gloves covering to his elbows like he just came out of lab. Or a cannery. Charlie was sure he had webbed hands underneath, probably ashamed of showing them outside from whatever place he dwelled. His face was fish-like, his ears resembling fins while his dorsal fin was supposed to be a substitute for hair. He had on a little bowler hat like Travis donned on, him probably from the same time period that her former boss was from. His glasses were comically large for his eyes and with different color lenses, no doubt for his fishy vision probably being a cause of it. His long esca poked out from the top of his head and looked to be holding a miniature lightbulb as it followed his head’s direction. Charlie was so busy staring she did not realize how close he was nearing her direction, the short man looking aggravatingly at his surroundings, him not happy to see so many people already staring at him.

“This bank only wants to lend money to people with money,” he muttered angrily. His large eyes caught the gaze of Charlie, her quickly darting her eyes the other way when she realized she got caught. “What are you looking at, flop doodle?” he sneered before stomping out of the bank.

Charlie continued to look on as the strange creature vanished from view. She would have continued to stare had not the banker calling her in for her appointment. She jumped up from her seat and quickly went into the awaiting office, her shutting the door quickly behind her.

The banker was a gremlin of a man, his wrinkled face squished by his many wrinkles and folds, his beady eyes the only things peeking through, glaring his gaze at Charlie through small glasses. He picked up the documents with his long scrawny hands, his bony fingers directing his gaze on what he needed to read to the young monarch. Charlie fidgeted in her chair as she watched the demon read her proposal with careful eyes.

“Mrs. Magne,” he said after sighing and putting the proposed idea on his desk. One that took Charlie most the night to make. “This venture you propose is risky. And somewhat bizarre.”

“It’s a good bet, it’s what it is.” Charlie juggled with what she was going to say, the sales pitch almost verbatim from practicing all night, her trying to keep her enthusiasm at a good level to excite him and not sound like a fool.

“Sir, people don’t wanna admit it…But they are fascinated with the exotic and the bizarre. That is why we stare at it.”

The gremlin seemed impressed but only slightly. He took off his glasses and leaned in, his small eyes now slits as he focused more on the princess.

“The bank is going to need substantial collateral.”

That did not seem to deter the girl, Charlie brightening as she fiddled with the inside of her suitcase. She then pulled out a handful of neatly wrapped stamped papers. With great ease, the blonde handed the deeds of the soul ships.

“Of course. I would not suggest otherwise. The deed and title to my _entire_ fleet of soul carrying vessels.” The banker took the deeds with great interest, him readjusting his glasses again. The Magne seal still imprinted, the wax glistening in the dim light. Normally, an average demon of a lower class would be questioned on how they managed to obtain such a substantial amount of collateral. But due to the fact that this _was_ still the Princess of Hell, no one would _want_ to question it.

And no one wanted to waste Lucifer’s time on something so obvious of course.

The banker looked up at Charlie again, the girl flashing that winning smile. Despite it being warm and inviting, those sharp canines were still hard to ignore. It was a staple feature of every being in Hell, it was the equivalent of human teeth when being alive. But what made hers so much more different was how similar Charlie’s smile was to her father’s.

As if serving a warning.

And with that final thought, the banker stamped his seal of approval.

**_Later…_ **

“Why would the bank loan us ten thousand dollars?” Vaggie asked breathlessly as she was pushed through the crowds of bustling demons. It was a particularly busy day in Pentagram City, everyone scurrying through to complete whatever needed to be done. Normally, one would avoid the city if they could, but Charlie was very insistent on showing her this “grand plan” and it was hard to say no to her saleslady attitude. 

With that being said, Charlie gleamed that ever-winning smile that just made Vaggie melt. “Because we put up collateral.”

Well, that feeling quickly left as it came. Vaggie became quiet as she did silent math in her head while Charlie guided her closer to…whatever it was that she was so ecstatic about. The twin goat dragons, Razzle and Dazzle, giggled and laughed as they scurried around their feet, they too catching the infectious excitement from their blonde adoptive mother. Despite the excited air from three-quarters of the family, Vaggie seemed immune to their ecstatic natures. Her logic and realism was what held Charlie firm and able to think clearly, that was how they were able to survive as long as they did on pennies and unemployment. One of the few traits she was grateful to acquire from living with that vagabond of a father. After a few moments, the moth finally came up with her answer.

“We don’t have any collateral.”

“Sure we do!” Charlie exclaimed as she wrapped one arm around Vaggie assuredly. “In the River Styx!”

“In the River Styx?”

“ _Deep_ in the River Styx.” The smile faltered slightly as Vaggie tried to process that new piece of information. How did she miss that? To think that maybe she wasn’t paying attention to their savings as much as she thought. While Vaggie tried to remember how she could have missed such a crucial part of their monetary assets, Charlie tried her best not to look guilty at what she was telling Vaggie. Charlie was not necessarily lying, but she wasn’t telling the whole truth either. But she did not want Vaggie to worry. And they really needed something stable right now.

“This was part of my inheritance,” that seemed to interest Vaggie, the woman stopping her musings to listen. “Found it when I was cleaning my desk. And since my father did not bother to take my name off the papers, I snatched it up as quick as I could. Call it a final gift.”

That seemed to cause Vaggie to ease up a little, Charlie feeling the tension let up a little from her shoulder. It made sense. Lucifer probably did have a lot of things under Charlie’s name for when she would become Queen, even the King of Hell could get sidetracked from everything he was responsible aside from his only child. He probably would back it up without realizing it himself. But as quickly as Vaggie relaxed, her caution returned when she thought of the next question. “And what _did_ we buy with this loan?”

And that was when the family suddenly halted in front of a large hexagonal looking building.

It was bigger than all the others around it, the columns over towering and holding each floor in symmetrical file. It was built from a delicious blood red brick, stained gold lining decorating the edges of the old wooden oak doors that seemed to have been locked with a stance of finality to keep the public away though the opaque broken windows said otherwise. It reminded Vaggie of the old, abandoned hotel Charlie and she used to sneak away when they were young, both under states of ruin and age. Despite it having seen better centuries, the structure still stood firm and strong, repairs would probably not take much time or added expense. At least, that was how optimistically Charlie saw it. She brushed over in front of her family and extended her arms wide to present them with this fascinating place.

“Charlie’s Museum of Curiosity!”

The family did not seem to be as excited as Charlie was, even Razzle and Dazzle became quiet as they clung to Vaggie’s side. Charlie felt some beads of sweat drop from her forehead, despite the winter creeping up earlier this time of year. She was expecting a little more enthusiasm from her family, but she understood their confusion. It was not every day one buys a whole building on a whim. Especially when they haven’t had access to a fortune in quite some time.

_They just need a little push._

As they slowly entered the large structure, Vaggie’s one eye darted around as she inspected everything with an eagle eye precision. Despite the outside looking less than worn for wear, the inside seemed to be a bit more needed work and attention. It was dusty all over, Dazzle sneezing every few minutes as he breathed it in. The wood floors no doubt needed to be replaced, it creaking with every step as if a warning that it could break and plunge them below to whatever was underneath. Wallpaper with faded designs were peeling off to reveal the worn wall underneath, the yellowing giving the inside an almost sickly appearance. And the windows, Razzle was kept at close proximity to Vaggie so he would not get cut up by the broken glass that littered the floor. No doubt this must have been used as a shelter for the homeless at one point, Vaggie finding herself praying to God that Charlie had this place inspected before purchasing it. Whoever left this was obviously desperate to sell, and whatever loan Charlie got from the bank managed to completely cover the cost. 

“What kind of museum is it?”

“A place to be transported. A place people can see things they’ve never seen before!”

Razzle and Dazzle then noticed looming figures around them, covered in just as much dust as the floor. Razzle, the ever more confident of the two, flew up to one of the figures, his snout scrunching up as he eyed it suspiciously, the smell emitting from it familiar.

“Wax figures?”

“Yeah! All the rage in the Upper World! Look! Marie Antoinette with the sore throat! Napoleon! Come here! You see, you have already met some of the most famous folks in history!”

Before Vaggie could make a comment on what she really thought about the wax figures, she bumped into one that seemed a bit less solid. And a lot furrier. The moth woman immediately looked up only to meet her one eye with a pair of bright yellow glowing ones. She stepped back almost immediately, muttering an apology as she struggled to straighten up. The mysterious intruder gave a smirk that reminded Vaggie of a hyena, the silent high pitch chuckle behind those rows of wolf-like canines furthering her observation. Her fur was white with countless red spots, almost as if someone splattered blood on her from a far distance. But before she could make a comment, Charlie, clearly not reading any signals, pulled Vaggie back and smiled at the intruder.

“But they are not all wax! This is the fabulous Crymini! Master of the sleight of hand, Queen of Deception!”

Dazzle cocked his head sideways, him looking questioningly at the teenage hellhound. “You don’t look like a magician!”

Crymini rolled her eyes but seemed good natured all the same. “I’m a thief.” Her voice was gruff and very matter-of-fact.

“A very good thief, I caught her stealing my watch!”

Unlike Vaggie that eyed Crymini with slight nervousness, the two little goat-dragons simple giggled and stood at awe of how their mother managed to employ someone so talented. Like children, they saw everything in a positive and magical light, no matter how dangerous and dark it could be. And their attention could easily be diverted to something else before the internal alarm starts to ring as they ran up to see what Charlie called an elephant.

Crymini gave the high-pitched chuckle again as she winked at the grey woman. “I’ll get you something real nice, just say the word.”

Vaggie blushed despite her better instinct, her always more polite than rude. “T-Thank you.”

She quickly hurried over to Charlie who was busy showing their two little demons another animal from the same environment as the elephant. Razzle and Dazzle marveled at the giraffe, the dust and age not deterring their wide eyes of marvel. They seemed to accept the idea of this odd museum more and more, mostly because they probably haven’t had so many interesting things grab their attention in such a short amount of time.

“Can I climb up it’s leg?”

“Absolutely not.”

As the two little goats brayed and giggled before flying off through the wax figures to do the exact opposite of what they were told to do, Charlie looked over to Vaggie, her expression worrying. Of course this was too much at once to take in but Vaggie was always one to take everything in stride. And the look she was sporting was obviously reason battling fantasy.

But Charlie, ever charismatic, quickly swooped in front of her and took her hands, leading her deeper into the museum. The wax figures seemed to be their only audience with their dead eyes seemingly following there every move.

“Now, I know what this looks like…”

Vaggie chuckled nervously, “If you didn’t, I’d be nervous.” 

“I mean, it just needs a little work.”

“The loan needs to be paid back every month…” she countered, her wanting Charlie to see how big of bite she was taking. But Charlie, ever undeterred, kept her high enthusiasm.

“Oh yeah, we’re gonna pay! We just need customers.”

“ _Hundreds_ of them.”

“And we’re gonna get them!” Charlie spun her around lightly so both were facing the room of wax figures again.

“We are going to get them,” she murmured in that voice that always relaxed Vaggie through any times of anxiousness, it reminding her of the day before Charlie was sent off to that finishing school.

“I just want something more stable, something that I have to _my_ name. To _our_ name. For a life that I promised you. And I intend to keep that promise. Whatever it takes.”

Vaggie mulled over the loving words of her wife, knowing how much any venture meant to Charlie. She was not like most of Hell’s royalty that enjoyed the wealth and prestige from mother and father. She wanted to live her own life the way she wanted and that required a lot of sacrifice in which she was willing to do. Unfortunately, when you are the only heir to Hell’s highest throne and with a father like Lucifer who did whatever he could just to _break_ her, Vaggie wanted nothing more than to support her in whatever she did.

Afterall, Charlie had her complete and unwavering trust.

“A million dreams, right?” Vaggie smiled as Charlie’s eyes sparkled with adoration and relief, the taller of the two leaning down to kiss her deeply. They were going to make this work, Charlie had high hopes for it. She had made her bet, now it was to see if it would pay off. It needed to pay off. But that was a bridge that would be crossed eventually. For now, it was good to remember why they started a life together.

“For the world we are going to make.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this after that whole unintended hiatus. I hope you guys enjoyed this and I'm very excited for the upcoming chapters. Especially now that I have Helluva Boss to help build some future character development!


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